The present invention relates to a device for preserving the shape of large coils such as aluminum or steel sheet coils. More particularly, the invention relates to an insertable hub-shaped device which preserves the shape of the cylindrical core of a large coil.
When transporting such aluminum or steel coils from the rolling mill to a factory for further processing such as the manufacture of beer cans the large coils are stood on end on pallets for transportation. During transportation ,hard acceleration and hard braking of the transporting vehicle causes the coils to slide and bump against one another. This sliding and bumping causes the coils to become so deformed that once they reach the factory it is impossible to unwind them.
To prevent this deformation, it is known in the art to put a brace in at least the top end of the cylindrical core of the coil. The known bracing devices for large coils are made of several circular pieces of plywood glued together. These known bracing devices all share the same difficulty in that as a result of their rigidity they are worked out of the core of the coil, and they are unable to compensate for transmitted radial forces. As a result of this force the outer edge of the wooden braces is reduced to a single plywood disk and further, the portion of the force directed from the axis of the coil towards the outside diameter causes the brace to be forced out of the coil. In addition, the known bracing devices are expensive to manufacture and have a comparatively high weight.